An SMU student told police she was raped Sunday when she was jogging near the Southern Methodist University campus.

The woman told police she was attacked about 11:15 p.m. in the 6700 block of Willard Drive, near Central Expressway and about half a mile east of the college campus. She said the attacker had a small knife and grabbed her from behind.

The attack occurred on a residential street of University Park that’s lined with brick homes, sidewalks and trees.

She gave police a description of what the rapist was wearing: a white California Angels T-shirt, blue shorts and white high-top shoes. She described him as a black, in his early 20s, about 6-foot tall and with close-cut black hair.

University Park police are investigating the sexual assault and urge anyone with information to call 214-363-3000 or contact Detective Marshall at 214-987-5359.

SMU started selling beer and wine at arena concession stands in January. The university will expand sales to football games in the fall.

Southern Methodist University sold nearly $350,000 of beer and wine at basketball arena concession stands, according to the state comptroller’s office.

The sales figure indicates how much money the university stands to make when it starts to sell alcoholic beverages at football games this fall. SMU plans to kick off beer sales in Ford Stadium concourses at the first home game on Sept. 20 against Texas A&M. Alcoholic beverages are already available in stadium suites.

SMU began offering alcoholic beverages to the general public in January when its newly renovated Moody Coliseum reopened. They sold beer and wine at 13 men’s basketball games. Concession stands sold beer for $6 or $8 apiece and wine for $6 apiece.

Students had to show valid government-issued IDs outside of the arena. They got a wristband with tabs that limited them to three alcoholic beverages.

Nine of the 13 campus games sold out, SMU athletics spokesman Brad Sutton said. The games drew a higher turnout because of the team’s success, but Sutton said fans also appreciated the new amenity.

SMU sold nearly $650,000 of all concessions — including beer, wine and food during the 13 games, he said.

SMU is one of several universities looking to beer and wine sales as a potential revenue stream and way to draw fans to games. University of North Texas recently announced that it will sell beer to the general public at its football stadium in the fall. It previously sold beer in the stadium’s club and suite levels.

Southern Methodist University will sell beer at football games this fall, after strong sales at campus basketball games.

The university will expand beer sales to Ford Stadium concourses and plans to kick off sales at the first home game, SMU athletics spokesman Brad Sutton said. Alcoholic beverages are already available in the stadium’s suites.

“We were deliberate in setting the plan for Moody [Coliseum], and it was safe and successful, so this process will also be carefully designed and vetted before we roll it out,” Sutton said.

SMU is one of several dozen universities that have looked to alcohol sales to boost crowds and make money. Kansas State and West Virginia already sell alcoholic beverages. University of Texas began a pilot program in February for beer and wine sales at sporting events.

SMU began selling beer in January at Moody Coliseum during men’s basketball games. Over 12 games, SMU athletics made six-figures in revenue, according to a USA Today report. Sutton wouldn’t release sales figures Tuesday.

Campus and local police said there was no spike in noise complaints or alcohol offenses. The beer sales were a hit among fans, who came out in larger numbers during SMU’s winning season, Sutton said.

Beer was on tap at kiosks in arena concourses. Students had to show a valid ID and receive a wristband before buying beer. Fans paid $6 for a 12-ounce plastic cup of Bud Light or Miller Lite or $8 for Michelob Ultra or Shiner.

SMU will play Texas A&M at its first home game of the season on Sept. 20.

Thomas DiPiero is Southern Methodist University’s new dean of Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences, university officials announced Tuesday.

Thomas DiPiero, SMU's new dean of Dedman College

DiPiero will lead the largest of SMU’s seven colleges and schools and serve as professor in its English and World Languages and Literatures departments. He is a dean and professor at the University of Rochester.

DiPiero has studied race, gender and French literature and co-authored three books.

He’s worked for SMU before as a visiting faculty member at SMU-in-Taos in 2011 and a guest lecturer for SMU’s Gilbert Lecture Series in 2008, according to a news release.

DiPiero received a Ph.D. and a Master of Arts in Romance Studies from Cornell University. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in French and Master of Arts in Romance Languages and Literatures from The Ohio State University.

At the University of Rochester, DiPiero is the dean of humanities and interdisciplinary studies in the College of Arts, Sciences and Engineering. He also worked at Reed College in Portland, Oregon as a visiting assistant professor of French and Humanities and the Université de Paris-X as a lecturer.

Most reports on the SMU police blotter are what you’d expect on a college campus — a stolen bicycle, underage drinking, drug paraphernalia. But every once in awhile, it’s a bit more unusual.

Take the most recent example — someone who printed off a bogus diploma and faked his or her own graduation, a few weeks after SMU’s real one.

Here’s the complete SMU police summary, which was filed on May 31st:

120563 8:32 AM. Fraudulent,Substandard, or Fictitious Degree: SMU Police Department/3128 Dyer Street. A non affiliated person has forged a diploma, staged a graduation and changed the name on a student’s transcript. Open.

I reached out to Kent Best, a university spokesman, who said he couldn’t share more details — at least not yet. Here’s his email statement in full:

“The SMU Police Department is conducting an investigation that involves a person not affiliated with SMU, who has allegedly made a false claim of having graduated from the University. Because this investigation is open, there are no further details at this time. SMU takes this situation very seriously and will continue to pursue fact-finding on this matter.”

Best said he couldn’t recall any similar incidents occurring — at least not in the six years he’s worked for SMU.

Along with a presidential library, Southern Methodist University will soon have a presidential scholar.

Jeffrey Engel has been hired as the university’s director of Presidential History Projects and associate professor of presidential studies. He will oversee a team of scholars studying U.S. presidential policies, as founding director of the university’s Presidential History Project.

Engel currently teaches history at Texas A&M University and is director of programming at its Scowcroft Institute for International Affairs. He will join the SMU faculty in July.

The hire comes as SMU readies itself for the opening of the George W. Bush Presidential Center in 2013 and plans academic programs to capitalize on the campus addition.

Engel’s wife, Katherine Engel, will also join SMU’s faculty. She will move from associate professor of history at Texas A&M to SMU’s Religious Studies Department. She is an affiliate fellow of the Center for the Study of Religion at Princeton University.

Southern Methodist University will hold a groundbreaking ceremony and dedication for the Residential Commons and a new tennis facility on Friday.

The Residential Commons will be a new model of student housing with a dining hall, classrooms on site and faculty in residence. Look for it on the east side of campus, near the campus’ football stadium and fitness center. It’s expected to open in fall 2014 and provide housing for 1,250 students.

SMU is also kicking off construction of an indoor and outdoor tennis facility on the former Mrs. Baird’s site.

Here’s a glimpse at what the completed Residential Commons may look like…

Millions of dollars, fine arts performances and accomplished alumni. Those are among the contributions that Southern Methodist University highlighted in a community and economic impact report it released today.

The report is timed to coincide with the university’s centennial celebration and includes some glimpses of the school’s on-going goals, such as boosting first-year students’ average SAT scores and raising $200 million for additional scholarships.